


Relief

by lukegray (spacebarista)



Series: In Another Life [1]
Category: The Following
Genre: Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Alternative Universe - FBI, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Twincest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-06
Updated: 2014-07-06
Packaged: 2018-02-07 16:37:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1906104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacebarista/pseuds/lukegray
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Agent Luke Gray knows how his brother gets when he narrowly avoids getting killed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Relief

**Author's Note:**

> Part of a Role-Reversal AU I originally jokingly toyed with on my Mark RP blog, but got pushed into trying. This is from the more Twincesty version of the AU. More will come, along with other pairings and adventures.

The apartment is dark when Luke finally steps over the threshold. He sighs. Mark’s probably asleep. It’s for the best really. He’s too tired, too bruised and battered to deal with a lecture from his twin brother. He fights the urge to announce his arrival, focusing instead on kicking off his shoes and draping his blazer over one of the chairs. His once pure white shirt is dirty and bloody, and his usually perfectly done tie is askew. He managed to get his hair under control for the long debriefing, but that was about it. He shuffles into the kitchen and reaches under the counter for the bottle of vodka he keeps stashed away. 

Luke almost died today. Well, yesterday. Carroll kept him late, wanting to make sure he was fit and debriefed to the last detail. He’d sent Mark home, telling him he’d see him later. There was just no point in making him stay to wait. But he never got to see him. Emma Hill relayed the message for him. Mark sounded furious through the door, but Luke hadn’t been ready to see him yet. 

He had been out in the field, leading a hunt for one of Ryan Hardy’s head lackeys. He’d gone off on his own, something he usually advised against. Mark wasn’t even with him; he had a presentation to give to new agents assigned to the case– a typical job assigned to the best profiler they had. He was probably in the auditorium as Luke was slammed to the ground and beat on, getting to his gun just as his assailant pulled a knife. Luke was faster. 

Pouring himself a shot, Luke turns and leans back against the counter. His watch reads ten past two, and there’s blood and grime up his forearm. He sighs before downing the shot. He longs to crawl into bed, to go to sleep and leave as much of the day behind him as he can. But he should shower. There’s no reason to make a mess of the bed. He’d rather take a shower than use the day off they gave him to clean the sheets. He takes another shot. He wants to numb the ache in his shoulders and his ribs and his jaw. He’d take painkillers, but he’ll be in bed soon enough anyway. 

Luke turns to pour a third– and last– shot, but hears a rustling behind him, causing him to pause. _Dammit._ He takes a couple of breaths. He’s glad he’s taken a couple of shots. It’s the only way he’ll be able to listen to a lecture right now. He grins, not wanting to sound as tired. “Mark? You still up? I’m touched, but you didn’t need to wait up for me.”

Mark huffs behind him. “I wasn’t going to wait until _tomorrow_ to see you, Luke.”

There’s fury in his voice. Anyone else might not have heard it. Luke knows him too well not to. He sighs and turns around. Mark’s in his pajamas: an old t-shirt and loose, worn pants. So he at least _tried_ to go to sleep. But he gets it. It’s harder to sleep when you don’t know where your other half is. 

He lets Mark study him, not too uncomfortable under his gaze. He watches his little brother take in his scuffed shoes, dirty and possibly torn clothes, his scraped hands and arms, his weary face, and his usually controlled hair. Finally, Mark snorts. “You look awful.”

Luke rolls his eyes. “Thanks, Mark. I _really_ needed you to kick me while I’m–”

Mark crosses the room and cuts him off, grabbing him by his shirt and pressing his lips to Luke’s. The elder is only shocked for a second. He pulls Mark closer, and his younger brother takes that as an invitation to press his hips against the counter, keeping him there. It hurts, but Luke does nothing except gasp slightly, and Mark uses the opportunity to deepen the kiss. He slips his tongue into Luke’s mouth. The brother’s tongues brush together, drawing a shiver out of the both of them. Luke threads his fingers through Mark’s hair to hold him close.

It’s messy and needy, and both of them make soft noises that border between groaning and whimpering. For Luke, some of it is pain from holding his brother too tight and too close. But for Mark, it’s all desperation. Luke can feel him trembling in his arms. His chest tightens. He never should have made Mark wait. He should have seen him as soon as he got back. They couldn’t have done _this_ but Mark wouldn’t have been this… _scared_. He _hates_ scaring Mark. He grips him even tighter, fighting the ache in his muscles. 

They finally break for air. Luke doesn’t let Mark go far; he continues to hold his brother’s head close, and rests his forehead against his twin’s. They’re both gasping for air, but Mark is holding back sobs. His struggles to keep them quiet are for naught. Luke’s always been able to tell. He rubs his thumb against Mark’s lower back, trying to soothe him without saying anything. He blinks and looks into matching blue eyes. They’re brimming with tears.

“Mark–”

“You could have _died_ , Luke.”

“I know, and I–”

“You could have died and you didn’t want to _see_ me. You sent me _away_.”

“I _did_ want to see you, I just–”

Tears finally overflow and slide down his reddened cheeks. “If you had died while I was… while I was just _talking_ , Luke… I… I don’t know what I’d do. I don’t know what to do without you. I–”

“ _Hey_.” Luke trails the hand in Mark’s hair to his cheek, brushing the tears away with his thumb. He wants to smile at him, to reassure him with jokes. But this isn’t the place. “I’m _sorry_ , Mark. It won’t happen again, okay? You won’t have to live without me. I won’t let that happen.”

The younger twins sniffles and nods, looking away from him. Luke sighs and pulls back slightly, pressing a kiss to Mark’s forehead. Mark continues to cling to him, and they stay like that for a while. Neither pays attention to how long. Once Mark is calmed down –and Luke has stifled more than a few yawns– Luke pushes him away just a bit to get a good look at him. 

“C’mon little brother. You need to get back to bed, and I need a shower so I can join you.”

Mark lets out a weak laugh. Luke can’t stop the smile that spreads across his face now. 

“How about _I_ join _you_ in the shower?” Mark tugs gently at his tie, loosening it enough to pull off all the way. “Make sure the nurses didn’t miss anything.”

Luke rolls his eyes, but his smile doesn’t fade. His twin worries too much. Or… wants to continue their reunion. “You know I can’t say no to you, little brother. Of course you can join me.”

Mark carefully helps Luke out of his clothes once they reach the bathroom, checking over each cut and bruise before allowing him in the shower. It’s unnecessary, but Luke indulges him. He always does.

They spend a bit too long showering –not all of it having to do with _cleaning_ – before they both put something on and fall into bed. Mark clings to him before falling asleep, and Luke holds him back and buries his nose in his brother’s thick hair. Luke doesn’t mind the closeness; he enjoys sleeping tangled up with his twin. 

Anything to keep Mark from worrying that he’ll leave him.


End file.
